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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory G-Pack 2005 > Gail Staisil > Long Term ReportLong Term Report: Gregory G Pack By Gail Staisil, Marquette, Michigan January 20, 2006 Tester Information Personal
Data:
Name: Gail Staisil
Age: 53 Gender: Female Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m) Weight: 140 lb (64 kg) Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com Location: Marquette, Michigan USA Photo Album Website: http://community.webshots.com/user/isleroyalegirl Backpacking Background:
For the last 16
years, backpacking has become a passion. I am a
four-season backpacker and an off-trail navigator. Although I do take
yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority of my
trips are in Michigan and Canada. My pack weight varies considerably,
but my base weight is below 20 lb (9.1 kg). I am primarily a tarp
camper who averages over 50 nights a year backpacking in a huge
variety of weather conditions, including relentless rain, wet snow and
sub-zero temps.
Gregory G Pack--Description  Product Information:
Overview
The Gregory G Pack
belongs to a series of packs that were "designed for
fast and light activities with sub 25 lb (11.3 kg) loads". Gregory also
listed the top-loader pack as being capable of loads up to 35 lb (15.9
kg). In my field
report I indicated that I comfortably used this pack
repeatedly at the upper load limits. During the long-term
testing period of the final two months, my attention has focused on
using it at much lighter loads.
Specs
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain
Products
Website: http://www.gregorypacks.com Phone: 1.800.477.3420 Model: Gregory G Pack Model Year: 2005 Size: Medium/2700 cu in (48 L) Manufacturer Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz (1.2 kg) Actual Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz (1.2 kg) Color: Bamboo Green MSRP: $139 US For
additional information on design and technological features
including specifications for materials, please see my initial
report.
Field Testing Data Field
Locations/Conditions
During the long term
testing-period of two months, I have used the
Gregory G Pack as a day pack while cross-country skiing and day hiking.
All locations were within one hundred miles of my home near Lake
Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Locations ranged from
trails through deciduous forest to open areas along the lakeshore.
Early winter to mid-winter weather varied from overcast and calm to
heavy snowfall and wind. Temperatures ranged from a low of 10 F (-12 C
) to a high of 35 F ( 2 C ) with humidity in the normal range of 60 to
95 percent for those areas. All of the trips were at low altitude
ranging from 600 ft (183 m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m), with a moderate
amount of elevation changes.
Field Notes
 Due to the demanding
heavy load limits and excessive bulk required of
winter backpacking, I have instead concentrated on using the Gregory G
for short day outings during the final testing period. The Gregory G
has remarkable features that allowed it to be a great day pack for
hiking and skiing. The top pocket was easily removed for such outings,
and the compression straps tightened up any extra room that wasn't
being utilized. That really stabilized the pack. For a typical day
outing, I carried a light insulated jacket and pants, snacks,
water, a small foam pad, extra ski gloves, extra wool hat, first aid
kit and assorted ski-related articles depending on what type of skiing
I was doing (extra waxes for classic skiing, finishing cork, etc). The
weight of the pack rarely exceeded 12 lb (5 kg) to 15 lb (7 kg) for
these ski outings. During day hikes I carried similar equipment minus
ski articles.
Looking back at the last four months of testing the Gregory G Pack, my opinion about the pack hasn't changed much. I absolutely love this pack! I never realized what I was missing by not using such an innovative and well designed pack. Although I have answered most of my initial report questions within my field report, I will briefly summarize my findings during my testing strategy. My experiences have been notably consistent throughout the testing period. Size of Pack/Adaptability/Pack Load:
Overall, this has been the
most versatile pack I have ever owned. Not only did I find it
very accommodating to different size loads but I was able to utilize it
from everything from a six-day backpacking trip to day hikes.
Accessibility: The removable lid top-pocket, the large mesh side and back pockets and the mesh belt pockets all provided quick access to items that were stowed in them. The later remains my all time favorite feature of any pack I have ever owned. The mesh belt-pockets were just the right size to stow so many handy items. Having access to them without taking the pack off was a freeing experience. I no longer had to add an extra "rib pocket" to the front of my pack which always was a hindrance when ascending and bushwhacking. There is also a clip located inside the top pocket to secure and access keys or other important items. Comfort and Adjustability: The combination of the Exo Frame internal-frame sheet and the Wraptor Stabilizer with its mechanical advantage provided great support to the different load levels I was carrying. I had no trouble making adjustments to the shoulder harness, sternum strap and the waist belt. After hiking for a while, I only needed to make adjustments to the later because it would some times slip when I was carrying the maximum load. I then needed to make a quick adjustment. With loads below 30 lb (14 kg), the pack was at its best in comfort levels. The whole support system made this pack the most comfortable pack I have ever owned ( I have used six different backpacks throughout the years). Durability Issues: The pack has remained blemish free during the whole testing period. There aren't any worn spots on the G70 and 210 HT Nylon materials, the mesh pockets are wholly intact even after many bushwhacks, the zipper on the top pocket and mesh belt-pockets are operating perfectly and the waist belt and sport harness are still in perfect condition. The belt buckle and fasteners also remain in working order. Ventilation: The Chimney Ventilated Backpanel kept my back from being totally soaked during a variety of weather conditions. It effectively allowed a space or deviation from having the whole back panel touch my back. The inverted section is shaped like an upside down Y. Workmanship/Design: I would rate this as top notch. Every detail was finely finished and the design features overall were surprisingly great for a lightweight pack. The only feature that I really missed are center back straps over the large center mesh pocket that could have held a foam sleeping pad. However the straps could have hindered accessing the center mesh pocket. It would of been a trade-off. Of course the pad did fit inside the mesh pocket itself, but some times I liked to stow other items in there instead. Water Resistance: I customarily line my pack with a compactor bag in addition to stowing my gear in silnylon stuff sacks. It is a necessity for the conditions that I often encounter. With that said, I still had no problems with precipitation leaking into the pack through the G70 (silicone impregnated material) and the 210 HT Nylon materials used in the pack. Hydration: In my opinion, the ripstop coated-nylon hydration sleeve located inside the pack, is a useful feature when carrying a smaller load for day hikes and such. I am not fond of using it when the pack is at full capacity. I don't like the possibility of it leaking liquid on the contents of other items. However, I would imagine that is why it is designed with the hydration sleeve having a waterproof lining. I much preferred using both side mesh pockets on the back of the pack to store 1 qt (0.97 L) bottles of liquid. This is only a personal preference, there is nothing negative to the feature itself. Overall Thoughts During the long-term
testing-period, I have come to the conclusion that
I am still very enamored with the Gregory G Pack. It has been more
versatile than I would have ever guessed looking at the size
specifications of the pack (2700 cu in/48 L). I initially thought that
I wouldn't have been able to utilize such a pack for more than a couple
of nights in the field. Those thoughts quickly vanished when I
successfully used the pack for up to six-day backpacking trips
during the field-testing period. Not only has the Gregory G Pack
been versatile but its lightweight qualities were enhanced by some very
comfortable features. These added up to the utmost comfort and fun in
the field. To sum it up, I sometimes forgot that I was even carrying a
pack. I fully expect to continue using the Gregory G for many future
trips.
Likes:
Dislikes:
Comments:
Thanks to Gregory G
and BGT for this great opportunity to test such an
outstanding and cool product.
( G Pack Photo courtesy of Sierra Designs) Read more reviews of Gregory gear Read more gear reviews by Gail Staisil Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory G-Pack 2005 > Gail Staisil > Long Term Report | |||